Hello all! You seem like a friendly and helpful bunch so here is my scenario and question:
-Background-
I have 2 years experience using solidworks / surfcam to program some pretty large custom machines (custom form tools etc.). I mainly programmed 3-axis stuff, with a little 3+2 from one machine. I also hand coded a few machines and "fixed" some programs on the fly at the control. However, I have never actually run a machine. I have since left that job - too many hours and not enough days in the week.
On to my new job. They have asked me to bring them up to speed with their quickly growing CNC machine shop. I have already got solidworks up and running and was wondering which of the three CAM programs I should go with that I mentioned in the subject. There is one guy hand coding all the machines that we have right now. He is very busy. We have:
3-axis
Haas VF-7
Haas VF-5
Haas EC-3000
Kia V60
Mitsubishi M-VR35 (another one on the way)
Mitsubishi M-VR30 (being installed as we speak)
4-axis
2 Haas EC-500
5-axis
Mitsubishi M-VR40 (2 months out)
And a Clausing Lathe (probably won't use the software to program this)
3 Motoman robot welders
2 laser cutting machines
1 plasma cutter
& a half dozen or so oxy-fuel burn machines
We make big steel things!
Most of the work we do right now is just facing, hole-making and pocketing. With the 5-axis on the way, I can see that changing pretty quickly. I have had the opportunity to have all 3 companies come and run their demo's for us. I liked the feature recognition with Camworks, but I still get the chills about having to eat up a Solidworks license to run a cam system. Mastercam seems really nice but I have been in the demo version that they sent me and the interface seems really foreign to me. Obviously, I would be most comfortable with Surfcam, but I was wondering if there was anything that I would be missing out on by passing over Mastercam.
Sorry for being so winded - just wanted to give you all the info up front. Your opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.